Blueberry Plant Named &#39;NS 16-8&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant, which is denominated varietally as ‘NS 16-8’ is described, with a medium vigor and which produces fruit considered large in size and medium in firmness under the ecological conditions prevailing in Yanchep, Western Australia.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC § 119 toCommunity Plant Variety Office (CPVO) Application No. 2019/1984 forCommunity Plant Variety Rights, filed on Aug. 15, 2019 for a blueberryplant with a variety denomination of ‘NS 16-8’, which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety.

Latin name: Vaccinium hybrid.

Variety denomination: The invention relates to a new, novel, anddistinct variety of blueberry plant, a Vaccinium hybrid, with a varietydenomination hereinafter as ‘NS 16-8’.

SUMMARY

The new variety of blueberry plant resulted from an ongoing developmentprogram of plant breeding conducted to identify such plants. The purposeof the program was to improve the commercial quality of blueberry plantsand other plant species. To this end, controlled, hybrid,cross-pollinations were made in order to produce plant populations fromwhich improved progeny were evaluated and thereafter selected.

The ‘NS 16-8’ blueberry plant was originated and selected from apopulation of new plants growing on the breeder's property, which islocated at Yanchep Springs in Yanchep, Western Australia. The newvariety of blueberry plant was derived from a controlled, hybrid,cross-pollination of the seed parent, blueberry plant ‘EB 8-42’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 25,858), and a pollen parent, blueberry plant ‘EB 9-2’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,149) during the 2013 growing season.

Prior Varieties. The seed parent ‘EB 8-42’ is characterized principallyby a semi-upright growth habit, a medium to strong vigor, a very earlyseason first pick date, and further produces large-sized, firm, mediumto high sweetness, and low to medium acidity fruit under the ecologicalconditions occurring in Yanchep, Western Australia. Also, the seedparent ‘EB 8-42’ exhibits a very early date of bloom time, an Augustfirst pick date, and a December last pick date under the ecologicalconditions occurring in Yanchep, Western Australia. Further, the seedparent ‘EB 8-42’ is evergreen and produces fruit on one-year-old andcurrent season's shoots.

The pollen parent ‘EB 9-2’, on the other hand, is characterizedprincipally by an upright to semi-upright growth habit, a strong to verystrong vigor, a very early season first pick date, and further produceslarge- to very-large-sized, firm to very firm, high sweetness, and lowto medium acidity fruit under the ecological conditions occurring inYanchep, Western Australia. Also, the pollen parent ‘EB 9-2’ exhibits avery early (February-March) date of bloom time, a March first pick date,and a December last pick date under the ecological conditions occurringin Yanchep, Western Australia. Further, the pollen parent ‘EB 9-2’ isevergreen and produces fruit on one-year-old and current season'sshoots.

Origin. The seed from the seed parent ‘EB 8-42’ produced approximately350 plants following cross-pollination. These new plants were then grownat the aforementioned property, and fruit from these new plants wasfirst observed in 2015. A subsequent assessment of these sameself-fertile, new plants conducted during the 2016 growing season andadditionally during the 2017 growing season led to selecting the ‘NS16-8’ variety for further evaluation.

Asexual Reproduction. The further evaluation included an asexualvegetative propagation, by vegetative cuttings, at Yanchep Springs inYanchep, Western Australia. Subsequent evaluations of the newly derivedplants in the 2018 growing season led to a conclusion that the ‘NS 16-8’variety was a distinct and new variety of blueberry plant found to betrue to the original plant. The new variety of blueberry plant wasconsidered to be novel in view of its medium vigor and large fruit,which exhibited medium firmness.

Comparisons. In comparison to the seed parent ‘EB 8-42’ under theecological conditions occurring in Yanchep, Western Australia, the newvariety is noteworthy. In this regard, the seed parent exhibits a plantvigor considered to be medium to strong. However, the new variety ofblueberry plant exhibits a plant vigor considered to be medium. Inaddition, the seed parent and the new variety of blueberry plant bothproduce fruit considered to be large in size. Further, the seed parentproduces fruit considered to be firm. This is in contrast to the fruitof the new variety of blueberry plant, which is considered to be mediumin firmness.

In comparison to the pollen parent ‘EB 9-2’ under the ecologicalconditions occurring in Yanchep, Western Australia, the new variety isnoteworthy.

In this regard, the pollen parent exhibits a plant vigor considered tobe strong to very strong. However, the new variety of blueberry plantexhibits a plant vigor considered to be medium. In addition, the pollenparent produces fruit considered to be large to very large in size. Incontrast, the fruit of the new variety of blueberry plant is consideredto be large in size. Further, the pollen parent produces fruitconsidered to be firm to very firm. This is in contrast to the fruit ofthe new variety of blueberry plant, which is considered to be medium infirmness.

The new variety of blueberry plant is readily distinguishable from themost closely related, known variety, ‘EB 9-2,’ the pollen parent.

The comparisons described above are summarized in the table below.

Summary of Comparisons

‘EB 8-42’ ‘EB 9-2’ ‘NS 16-8’ (Seed) (Pollen) Plant vigor Medium MediumStrong to to strong very strong Fruit size Large Large Large to verylarge Fruit firmness Medium Firm Firm to very firm

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are color photographs of the new blueberryplant ‘NS 16-8’ during the second year of growth under the ecologicalconditions prevailing at the breeder's property, which is located atYanchep Springs in Yanchep, Western Australia.

FIG. 1 is a color photograph, which shows fruit, blooms, leaves, and aportion of a vegetative stem of the new blueberry plant ‘NS 16-8’, thefruit being sufficiently mature for harvesting and shipment. Thisphotograph also depicts the fruit size and the color of the ripe fruit,two leaves showing the sizes and the upper and under side colorationsthereof, two blooms at different stages of maturation, and additionalleaves on the stem at different stages of maturation.

FIG. 2 is a color photograph, which shows the new blueberry plant ‘NS16-8.’ This photograph depicts a mature bush with ripe and unripefruits, the fruit size, and the upright growth habit of the bush. Theripe fruit is sufficiently mature for harvesting and shipment.

The colors in these photographs are as nearly true as is reasonablypossible in a color representation of this type. Due to variations incolor printers and/or chemical development, processing and printing, thecolors of the plant parts depicted in these photographs may, or may not,be accurate when compared to the actual specimen. For this reason, colorreferences are made to the color plates (Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart, Sixth Edition, hereinafter, “R.H.S.”) and descriptionsprovided.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Not a Commercial Warranty. The following detailed description wasprepared solely to comply with the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, anddoes not constitute a commercial warranty (either expressed or implied)that the present variety will, in the future, display the botanical,horticultural, or other characteristics set forth herein. Therefore,this disclosure may not be relied upon to support any future legalclaims including, but not limited to, breach of warranty ofmerchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose, ornon-infringement, which is directed in whole, or in part, to the presentnew variety of plant.

Referring more specifically to the botanical features of this new anddistinct variety of blueberry plant, the following has been observedduring the second year of growth under the ecological conditionsprevailing at the breeder's property, which is located at YanchepSprings in Yanchep, Western Australia.

-   Plant: General.    -   -   Vigor.—Considered medium for the species. This is in            contrast to the seed parent ‘EB 8-42’, wherein the vigor is            considered medium to strong, and the pollen parent ‘EB 9-2,            wherein the vigor is considered strong to very strong.        -   Growth habit.—Considered upright. This is in comparison to            the commercial variety ‘Ivanhoe’ (unpatented), which is            considered to be upright.        -   Average size of plant.—1.2 meters in height by 0.55 meters            in width.        -   Internode length (space between nodes).—Considered medium,            19.6 millimeters (mm).        -   Bark color.—RHS Moderate Reddish Brown Group 177A.        -   Color, one year old shoots.—RHS Strong Yellow Green Group            145A.        -   Fruiting type.—On one-year-old shoot and current season            shoots, in like manner to commercial varieties ‘Concord’            (unpatented) and ‘Burlington’ (unpatented).-   Foliage: General.    -   -   Average leaf length.—Considered medium to long for the            species, 61.2 mm.        -   Average leaf width.—Considered medium to broad for the            species, 30.0 mm.        -   Color of leaf upper.—RHS Dark Yellowish Green Group 139A.        -   Color of leaf underside.—RHS Moderate Yellowish Green Group            148B.        -   Vein color of plant leaf.—RHS Greyish Yellow Green Group            148D.        -   Venation pattern of leaf.—Pinnate reticulate.        -   Leaf apex texture.—Glabrous.        -   Leaf apex shape.—Acute.        -   Leaf base shape.—Acute.        -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire.        -   Leaf arrangement of plant.—Alternate.        -   Petiole length.—5.33 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—1.99 mm.        -   Petiole color.—RHS Light Yellow Green Group 145C.-   Flowers:    -   -   Number of flowers/inflorescence.—3-5.        -   Length of inflorescence (excluding pedicel).—Considered            medium, 4.44 mm.        -   Corolla shape.—Urceolate.        -   Corolla tube surface texture.—Ridges are present on the            corolla tube.        -   Average corolla length.—11.10 mm.        -   Corolla diameter.—8.06 mm.        -   Corolla aperture size.—4.95 mm.        -   Corolla color.—RHS White Group NN155B.        -   Pedicel color.—RHS Moderate Yellowish Green Group 139D.        -   Pedicel length.—8.37 mm.        -   Average calyx diameter.—Considered small to medium, 4.43 mm.        -   Average calyx basin depth.—Considered medium, 1.88 mm.        -   Attitude of sepals.—Erect.        -   Type of sepals.—Straight.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Size of pollen anthers.—4.11 mm.        -   Color of pollen anthers.—RHS Brownish Orange Group 172C.        -   Pistil length.—9.36 mm.        -   Pistil color.—RHS Light Yellow Green Group 145B.-   Fruit:    -   -   Color of unripe fruit.—RHS Light Yellow Green Group 145C.        -   Color of fruit skin.—RHS Bluish Black Group 203C, also            considered “dark blue” in like color to the commercial            variety ‘Heerma’ (unpatented), after removal of bloom.        -   Color of ripe fruit flesh.—RHS Strong Yellow Green Group            145A.        -   Color of seeds.—RHS Brownish Orange Group 167B.        -   Average fruit size.—19 mm in diameter and 20.74 mm in            height, which is considered large for the species. This is            comparable to the seed parent ‘EB 8-42’, which also produces            fruit considered to be large. This is in contrast to the            pollen parent ‘EB 9-2’, which produces fruit considered to            be large to very large.        -   Average weight of fruit.—5.8 grams.        -   Berry shape.—Considered round.        -   Sweetness when ripe.—Considered medium for the species.        -   Firmness when ripe.—Considered medium for the species. This            is in contrast to the seed parent ‘EB 8-42’, wherein the            firmness is considered firm, and the pollen parent ‘EB 9-2,            wherein the firmness is considered firm to very firm.        -   Acidity when ripe.—Considered low to medium for the species.        -   Cluster density.—Considered medium dense for the species.        -   Average fruit production.—4 kilograms on a two-year-old            bush.        -   Storability of fruit.—Considered excellent for the species.        -   Market use of fruit.—1st grade fresh market fruit.        -   Date of bud burst.—This variety is evergreen under the            ecological conditions prevailing in Yanchep, Western            Australia, but a bud break occurs the end of May, which is            considered very early for the species.        -   Date of bloom time.—This variety is evergreen under the            ecological conditions prevailing in Yanchep, Western            Australia, but a bloom time occurs in mid July, which is            considered very early on one-year old shoot in like manner            to the commercial variety ‘Patriot’ (unpatented) and            considered very early on current year's shoot before the            commercial variety ‘O'Neal’ (unpatented), which is            considered early.        -   Duration of bloom time.—8 weeks.        -   Beginning of fruit ripening.—Considered very early on            one-year-old shoot in like manner to the commercial variety            ‘Bluetta’ (unpatented) and considered very early on current            year's shoot before the commercial variety ‘O'Neal’            (unpatented), which is considered early.        -   First pick date.—The observed date of the first pick is            approximately September under the ecological conditions            prevailing in Yanchep, Western Australia.        -   Last pick date.—The observed date of the last pick is            approximately December under the ecological conditions            prevailing in Yanchep, Western Australia.        -   Pollination requirements.—Self-fertile.        -   Resistance to pests and disease.—No particular resistance            noted. The variety has not been tested to detect any            resistance.

Although the new variety of blueberry plant possesses the describedcharacteristics when grown under the ecological conditions prevailing inYanchep, Western Australia, it should be understood that variations areto be expected in the usual magnitude and characteristics incident tochanges in growing conditions, fertilization, pruning, pest control,frost, climatic variables, and horticultural management.

Having thus described and illustrated a new variety of blueberry plant,what is claimed to secure a plant letters patent is:
 1. A new anddistinct variety of blueberry plant, substantially as illustrated anddescribed, which is characterized principally as to novelty by a mediumvigor and by producing fruit considered large in size and medium infirmness under the ecological conditions prevailing in Yanchep, WesternAustralia.